by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, September 7, 2025:
A nine-year-old Rohingya boy was seriously injured after stepping on a landmine in Basupaa village, Hla Tha Ward, Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, on October 5.
Child Badly Injured While Playing Near Home
The victim was identified as Soyed Nur, aged 9, son of Mohammed Salam, also known as Guramya, from Basupaa village. According to local residents, the explosion occurred around 6 p.m. while the boy was playing in the yard of his home.
“He accidentally stepped on a leftover landmine, and the explosion caused severe injuries to his right leg,” one local resident told Rohingya Khobor.
Neighbors rushed to help the injured child and took him for treatment, but his condition remains critical, sources said.
Ongoing Threat of Landmines in Maungdaw
Residents said landmines remain a serious threat across Maungdaw following past clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar’s military junta. Both sides reportedly planted explosives in multiple areas, many of which have not been cleared.
“The Myanmar army planted many mines around Rohingya villages. Although the AA removed some mines along the main roads they use, very few mines inside Rohingya villages have been cleared. We cannot remove them ourselves, and even though mine clearance teams promised to come, they never did,” another villager said.
Fear and Uncertainty Among Civilians
Local people continue to live in fear, avoiding farmland, roads, and forest paths where mines may still be hidden. Community members are urging authorities and humanitarian organizations to urgently conduct mine clearance operations to prevent more innocent casualties.
